The invention relates to a self-propelled ship. The invention relates in particular to a self-propelled ship assigned to navigation over a prescribed distance situated between a departure point and an arrival point. Such ships are for example marine or river ferries. The ship is for example of the ferry type or any other ship for transporting travelers or cargo.
One of the problems of self-propelled ships is their CO2 footprint and the cost of fossil fuels. In fact, ships usually operate with diesel engines. Numerous alternative systems to diesel engines are known for ships. Document WO 2005/012 079 describes a ship with photovoltaic cells arranged on a sail, as well as batteries and/or capacitors for storing the electricity collected by the cells. This ship is of the recreational sailboat type, without a diesel engine, and cannot be generalized to the scale of a large size ship such as a ferry in regular service. Document EP-B-1 341 694 concerns a ship equipped with a main Diesel engine and an electrical motor supplied with electricity by a generator set equipped with another Diesel engine. Document EP-A-1 531 125 describes a ship provided, for its propulsion, with an electric motor supplied with electricity by Diesel engines and by a fuel battery.
The invention seeks to obtain a ship that dispenses with internal combustion engines, partially or totally, for its propulsion. To this end, a first object of the invention is a self-propelled ship assigned to navigation over a prescribed distance situated between a departure point and an arrival point, the ship comprising at least a first shipboard electric network, at least one main electrical supply bus, propulsion means, at least one drive motor for driving said propulsion means, and supply means for supplying with electricity the first shipboard electric network and said at least one drive motor through said main electrical supply bus,                wherein        the supply means comprise at least        one set of electric capacitors having a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, a ratio equal to at least 5% of both of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network over the prescribed distance and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electrical drive motor allowing travel over the prescribed distance through said main electrical supply bus, and,        electrical connection means arranged on board the ship to connect the set of electric capacitors to another electric network located at the arrival point and/or departure point for the purpose of recharging the capacitors to their nominal charge and for supplying the first shipboard electric network during a stop at the arrival point and/or the departure point.        
The invention also concerns a self-propelled ship assigned to navigation over a prescribed distance situated between a departure point and an arrival point, the ship comprising at least a first shipboard electric network, at least one main electrical supply bus, propulsion means, at least one drive motor for driving said propulsion means, and supply means for supplying with electricity the first shipboard electric network and said at least one drive motor through said main electrical supply bus,                wherein        the supply means comprise at least        one set of electric capacitors having a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, a ratio equal to at least 25% of both of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network over the prescribed distance and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electrical drive motor allowing travel over the prescribed distance through said main electrical supply bus, and,        electrical connection means arranged on board the ship to connect the set of electric capacitors to another electric network located at the arrival point and/or departure point for the purpose of recharging the capacitors to their nominal charge and for supplying the first shipboard electric network during a stop at the arrival point and/or the departure point.        
The invention also relates to a self-propelled ship, the ship comprising at least a first shipboard electric network (5), at least one main electrical supply bus (11, 104), propulsion means (3), at least one drive motor (4, 1004) for driving said propulsion means (3), and supply means for supplying with electricity the first shipboard electric network (5) and said at least one drive motor (4, 1004) through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104),                wherein        the supply means comprise at least        one set (10) of electric capacitors having a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, both of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network (5) over a prescribed distance and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electrical drive motor (4, 1004) allowing travel over the prescribed distance through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104), and,        electrical connection means (25, 111) arranged on board the ship to connect the set (10) of electric capacitors to another electric network located at the arrival point and/or departure point of the ship for the purpose of recharging the capacitors to their nominal charge and for supplying the first shipboard electric network during a stop at the arrival point and/or the departure point.        
The invention also relates to a self-propelled ship, the ship comprising at least a first shipboard electric network (5), at least one main electrical supply bus (11, 104), propulsion means (3), at least one drive motor (4, 1004) for driving said propulsion means (3), and supply means for supplying with electricity the first shipboard electric network (5) and said at least one drive motor (4, 1004) through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104),                wherein        the supply means comprise at least        one set of electric capacitors (10) having a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, at least temporarily, both of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network (5) and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electric drive motor (4, 1004) through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104), and        electrical connection means (25, 111) arranged on board the ship for connecting the set of electric capacitors (10) to another electric network located at an arrival point and/or at a departure point of the ship, for the purpose of recharging the capacitors to their nominal charge and to supply the first shipboard electric network (5) during a stop at the arrival point and/or at the departure point.        
The invention also relates to a self-propelled ship, the ship comprising at least a first shipboard electric network (5), at least one main electrical supply bus (11, 104), propulsion means (3), at least one drive motor (4, 1004) for driving said propulsion means (3), and supply means for supplying with electricity the first shipboard electric network (5) and said at least one drive motor (4, 1004) through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104),                wherein        the supply means comprise at least        one set (10) of electric capacitors having a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, both of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network (5) and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electrical drive motor (4, 1004) through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104) for a translation speed of the ship less than or equal to a specified speed, which may be for example 5 knots, and,        electrical connection means (25, 111) arranged on board the ship to connect the set (10) of electric capacitors to another electric network located at an arrival point and/or a departure point of the ship for the purpose of recharging the capacitors to their nominal charge and for supplying the first shipboard electric network during a stop at the arrival point and/or the departure point.For example, said at least one set of electric capacitors has a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, 100% of both of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network (5) and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electrical drive motor (4, 1004), allowing navigation where it is subject to an imposed specified speed limit, of the order of 5 knots for example, as for example in ports, port access channels (excepting local regulations) and in the 300 meter littoral strip (measured from the high water line), through said main electrical supply bus (11, 104).        
According to embodiments of the invention:                The connection means on board the ship comprise conductors capable of being put into contact, during docking of the ship at the departure point and/or at the arrival point, with external conductors carried by mechanical means located at the departure point and/or at the arrival point for compensating differences in height, compensating for the distance between the ship and a dock at the departure and/or arrival point, and establishing electrical contact between the ship and the dock.        Or the connection means on board the ship comprise conductors carried by mechanical means arranged so as to compensate for differences in height between the ship and a dock at the departure and/or arrival point and to compensate for the distance between the ship and the dock, and arranged so as to be put into electrical contact, upon docking the ship at the departure point and/or at the arrival point, with electrical conductors provided on the dock.        The conductors of the ship's connection means are so arranged as to be put into contact, upon docking the ship at the departure point and/or at the arrival point, with external conductors carried by at least one pantograph located at the departure point and/or at the arrival point, the pantograph being capable of compensating for height differences, compensating for the distance between the ship and a dock at the departure and/or arrival point and establishing electrical contact between the ship and the dock.        The electrical connection means are provided on board the ship for connecting the set of electric capacitors to another electric network located at the arrival point and/or at the departure point, for the purpose of recharging the capacitors to their nominal charge and to supply the first shipboard electric network and said at least one electric drive motor during a stop at the arrival point and/or at the departure point.        The set of capacitors is of the supercapacitor type.        The supply means comprise at least one generator set for support and for emergency use driven by at least one internal combustion engine supplied from an on-board fuel reserve.        The set of electric capacitors has a capacitance sized so as to provide, at its nominal electrical charge, both a ratio equal to at least 50% of the nominal supply of said at least one shipboard electric network over the prescribed distance and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electric drive motor, allowing travel over the prescribed distance, through said main electrical supply bus.        The set of electric capacitors has a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, both a ratio greater than or equal to 100% of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network over the prescribed distance and of the nominal electrical supply of said at least one electric drive motor allowing travel over the prescribed distance, through said main electrical supply bus.        The set of electric capacitors has a capacitance sized to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, both a ratio greater than or equal to 130% of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network over the prescribed distance and of the nominal electric supply of the at least one electric drive motor, allowing travel over the prescribed distance, through said main electrical supply bus.        The set of electric capacitors has a capacitance sized to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, both a ratio greater than or equal to 260% of the nominal supply of said at least one first shipboard electric network over the prescribed distance and of the nominal electric supply of the at least one electric drive motor, allowing travel over the prescribed distance, through said main electrical supply bus.        The set of electric capacitors has a capacitance sized so as to provide, at their nominal electrical charge, stored energy with a value greater than or equal to the following value Emin:        
      E    min    :=      L    ·          (                        2          ·          T                +        B            )        ·                  C        m              ·          (              0.453        +                  0.4425          ·                      C            b                          -                  0.2862          ·                      C            m                          -                  0.003467          ⁢                      B            T                          +                  0.3696          ·                      C            wp                              )        ·          2        ·    ρ    ·          V      2        ·    D  with                L=Waterline length of the ship's underwater hull in meters,        B=Waterline width of the ship's underwater hull in meters,        T=Full load draft of the ship in meters,        V=the highest service speed, in meters per second, that the ship can maintain when it is at its maximum displacement,        ρ=mass density of the water in ton/m3,        DSPL=Full load displacement of the ship in m3,        cb=Block coefficient=DSPL/(L×B×T),        Cwp=Buoyancy coefficient,        Aw=Full load waterline area in m2,        Cwp=Aw/(L×B),        Cm=Main section coefficient=Transverse main section/(B×T);        
Transverse main section=greatest transverse section of the ship below the waterline in m2 at full load,                D=prescribed distance in meters,        Emin in Joules being defined for each hull of the ship, and the total stored energy, in the case of a multihull ship, being equal to the sum of the energies defined for each hull.        The set of capacitors is in the form of a plurality of modules, each module containing supercapacitor type components so that each module forms an equivalent capacitance greater than 10 F.        The set of capacitors is in the form of a plurality of modules, each module containing supercapacitor type components so that each module has a nominal charge voltage of at least 25 V.        The set of capacitors is in the form of a plurality of modules, each module containing supercapacitor type components so that each module has a nominal charge voltage of at least 100 V.        The supercapacitors have a nominal allowable number of cycles greater than or equal to 100,000.        The set of capacitors comprises means for connecting several modules in series.        The set of capacitors comprises a plurality of branches, means for connecting the branches in parallel, each branch comprising several modules capable of being connected in series.        The ship is provided with electric circuit means sized to allow the set of capacitors's nominal charge to be reached from zero charge in a time less than or equal to 10 minutes.        The set of capacitors is connected to said direct current bus connected to the first DC side of at least one DC-AC converter, the AC side of which is connected to said at least one electric drive motor and to said first shipboard electric network to supply them with alternating current, the DC bus being also connected to the first DC side of at least one other DC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to input conductors for connection to an external source of alternating current for recharging the capacitors.        Or the set of capacitors is connected to the first DC side of at least a first DC-DC converter, the second DC side of which is connected to said direct current bus connected to the first DC side of at least one DC-AC converter, the AC side of which is connected to said at least one electric drive motor and to said first shipboard electric network to supply them with alternating current, the direct current bus being also connected to the first DC side of at least one DC-DC converter, the second DC side of which is connected to input conductors for connection to an external source of direct current for recharging the capacitors.        Or the set of capacitors is connected to the first DC side of at least a first DC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to said alternating current bus, the set of capacitors being also connected to the first DC side of at least a second DC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to input conductors for connection to an external source of alternating current for recharging the capacitors and supplying the shipboard network, the alternating current bus being directly connected to the first shipboard electric network, the alternating current bus being connected to the first AC side of at least one AC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to said at least one electric drive motor to supply it with alternating current.        Or the set of capacitors is connected to said direct current bus connected to the first DC input side of at least one DC-DC converter, the second DC output side of which is connected to said at least one DC electric drive motor to supply it with direct current, the direct current bus also being connected to the first DC side of at least a first DC-AC converter, the AC side of which is connected to said first shipboard electric network to supply it with alternating current, the direct current bus also being connected to the first DC side of at least one other DC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to input conductors for connection to an external source of alternating current for recharging the capacitors.        Or the set of capacitors is connected to the first DC side of at least a first DC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to said alternating current bus, the set of capacitors also being connected to the first DC side of at least a second DC-AC converter, the second AC side of which is connected to input conductors for connection to an external source of alternating current for recharging the capacitors and supplying the shipboard network, the alternating current bus being connected to the first AC side of at least one AC-DC converter, the second DC side of which is connected to said at least one DC electric drive motor to supply it with direct current.        Or the set of capacitors (10) is connected to the first DC side (42) of at least one DC-DC converter (41), the second DC side (43) of which is connected to said direct current bus (11) connected to the first DC side (12, 15, 18) of at least one DC-AC converter (13, 16, 19), the AC side (14, 17, 20) of which is connected to said at least one electric drive motor (4) and to said first shipboard electric network (5) to supply them with alternating current, the direct current bus (11) also being connected to the first DC side (22) of at least one other DC-AC converter (23), the second AC side (24) of which is connected to input conductors (25) for connection to an external source (100, S) of alternating current for recharging the capacitors.        Or the set of capacitors (10) is connected to the first DC side (42) of at least one DC-DC converter (41), the second DC side (43) of which is connected to said direct current bus (11) connected to the first DC input side of at least one DC-DC converter (1005, 1006), the second DC output side of which is connected to said at least one DC electric drive motor (1004) to supply it with direct current, the direct current bus (11) also being connected to the first DC side (12) of at least a first DC-AC converter (13), the AC side (14) of which is connected to said first shipboard electric network (5) to supply it with alternating current, the direct current bus (11) also being connected to the first DC side (22) of at least one other DC-AC converter (23), the second AC side (24) of which is connected to input conductors (25) for connection to an external source of alternating current (100, S) for recharging the capacitors.        Or the bus (11) carries direct current; the set of capacitors (10) is connected to the bus (11) through at least one DC-DC converter (41).        Said electrical connection means on board the ship are located near its docking area and comprise conductors capable of being put into contact with complementary conductors remaining at the departure point and/or at the arrival point, for recharging the capacitors.        The ship's so-called quick connectors are arranged so as to be put into contact, upon docking the ship, with said external electrical conductors carried by an arm and/or a mobile pantograph located at the departure point and/or at the arrival point.        The pantographs held in position near the departure point are capable of being put into contact, upon docking the ship at the departure point and/or at the arrival point, with said bare conductors of connection means (catenaries) located on posts positioned near the docking points on the ship.        Or the so-called quick connectors of the ship are carried on a mechanical arm and/or a mobile pantograph and arranged so as to be put into contact, upon docking the ship, with said external conductors located at the departure point and/or at the arrival point.        